Read Online Finding Perfect by Susan Mallery - Free Book Online

paper. Our goal is to have the children back in school by Monday.”
    Pia remained calm on the outside, but inside there was a very loud shrieky voice. “It’s Wednesday.”
    â€œI know. That’s the challenge. Can you pull something together by Saturday?”
    The clear answer was no, but Pia swallowed that. She had a phone tree that rivaled anything created by the government and access to an impressive list of volunteers.
    â€œI can get the word out tonight,” she said. “Beg mention in tomorrow’s paper, along with Friday’s. Do media Friday and get it set up by, say, nine Saturday morning.” Even thinking about it was enough to make her woozy. “I need a list of what you need.”
    Nancy had come prepared. She passed a folder to Pia. “If people would rather give money, we won’t say no.”
    â€œWho would?”
    Pia flipped open the folder and stared at the neatly typed sheets. The list was detailed and, as Nancy had promised, listed every possible need, from chalkto china. Well, not china, exactly, but dishes for the camp.
    â€œI thought the camp already had a working kitchen,” she said. “Why would they need plates, glasses and utensils?”
    â€œEnd Zone for Kids housed less than a hundred campers, even with the day campers,” Marsha told her. “We’re sending up close to three hundred.”
    â€œThat’s a lot of napkins,” Charity murmured. “I’ll stay after the meeting and you can tell me what I can do to help.”
    â€œThanks.”
    It wasn’t the size of the project that worried Pia, but the speed. She would need a full-page ad in the local paper. Colleen, her contact at the Fool’s Gold Daily Republic, wasn’t going to be happy.
    â€œI need to make a call,” she said, then excused herself.
    Once she was in the hall, she pulled out her cell phone and dialed.
    â€œHi, it’s Pia,” she said.
    Colleen was a woman of a certain age—only no one knew exactly what age that was. She was a hard-drinking, chain-smoking newspaper woman who didn’t believe in chitchat and had never met an adjective she didn’t want eliminated.
    â€œWhat do you want?” Colleen snapped.
    Pia sucked in a breath. Talking fast was essential. “A full page tomorrow and Friday. Saturday we’re going to be collecting donations for the school that burned down. For a new school and supplies.”
    Damn. Talking to Colleen always made her nervous.The worst part was the other woman didn’t have to say anything to get Pia feeling frantic.
    â€œThe kids will be going up to the camp while the burned-out school is repaired. They’ll need everything from books to pencils to toilet paper. I have a list. Money donations are fine, too.”
    â€œOf course they are. Anything else? How about a kidney? I was told I have two. You want I should cut that out and send it along?”
    Pia leaned against the wall. “It’s for the children.”
    â€œI’m not competing in any beauty pageant. I don’t have to give a fig about kids or world peace.”
    There was a long pause. Pia heard the other woman exhaling smoke.
    â€œGet me the material in fifteen minutes and I’ll do it. Otherwise, forget it.”
    â€œThanks, Colleen,” Pia said, already running for the fax machine on the second floor.
    She made the deadline with eighteen seconds to spare. When the copy and the list of needed supplies had gone through the fax machine, Pia returned to the meeting only to find out they hadn’t actually been as busy as she had.
    â€œCharity, is there any chance you’ve seen Raoul’s butt?” Gladys asked hopefully. “Could you get a comparison?”
    Pia sank into her seat. “Yes, Charity. You should ask Raoul for a private showing, and I’d like to be in the room when you do.”
    Charity rolled her eyes. “I haven’t seen his butt,